The Swarm

April 17, 2008

Kanye West's Glow in the Dark tour: first review

TDS Editors

(Photo via Kanye’s Blog)

The Daily Swarm reader Joan Hiller went to opening night and writes in:

KANYE WEST/RIHANNA/LUPE FIACSO/N.E.R.D.—first night of the Glow In The Dark tour, Key Arena, Seattle, WA, in case you were wondering….

So, there’s an 11 PM curfew at the Key Arena, enforced by the City of Seattle via an insane fine that’s reportedly assessed per minute, and I’m PRETTY sure that Kanye lost most of the first night of the tour’s guarantee, because he didn’t go on until 10:30 and kept at it until midnight (clearly first night of tour issues being worked out.) Workers at the Key kept saying, “Well, we’ll have to pull the plug at eleven…” but man, it became apparent super, super quickly that ain’t nobody pulling the plug on Mr. West, or the 20,000 screaming, neon-clad fans there. People were going BAT SHIT.

Biggest highlight: huge, amazing landscape set complete with reflective rolling hills and a rising, moving, smoke-spouting, underlit and overlit platform that was angled at about 30 degrees at times so that, with all the projections firing, Kanye was standing/floating in multiple planetary and atmospheric spacescapes—lava floes, explosions, waterfalls and galaxies. Another bold move: the set was positioned so that the band & backup singers comprised in an orchestra pit—they remained unseen unless you were in the nosebleeds, which I was, so Kanye, in all his glory, appeared as one emcee in space solely commanding the 20,000 attendees. He was all you needed.

Biggest question mark/forehead-slapping moment: the set is super narrative—one song in, a computer robot spaceship named JANE is introduced; Kanye TALKS TO her with sweat-soaked soap opera delivery on several occasions between songs. You wonder how he’s not fucking laughing during this; it’s clear melodrama. The story: Mr. West is stuck on another planet after his spaceship has crashed, and he’s on a mission to deliver creativity to planet Earth. (Parliament/Funkadelic, anyone?) Actual example:

Kanye: “Jane—I can’t get off this planet! I’ve been here for so long—for one year! I GOTS to get me some PUSSY! Can you help me?”

Jane the Computer Robot Spaceship (with cold, automated innuendo): “I can help you with that, Mr. West.” (Jane the Computer Robot Spaceship turns into a 3D oscillating naked lady, crowd goes wild, Kanye he launches into “Golddigger”.)

Another highlight: He did “Hey Mama” on his knees, with only white lighting and reverence.

Rihanna: Sadly left a lot to be desired—she sang amazingly and looked fucking smokin’ on the jumbotron but her dancers were all out of sync and were clearly experiencing some first-night foibles, especially where props were concerned, and I don’t think she’s got the whatever goin’ yet to realize that she’s got to do big, sweeping movements to entertain a fucking arena. I wish I could pull off her neon MAC lipstick, but that’ll never happen. Just sayin’.

Merch: Amazing, amazing shirts—most notably, one that’s just a b&w of Kanye, with “Mr. West” in courier typeface underneath. There are also $10 plastic white shades, and gold Rihanna hoop earrings that were $35 and said “Bad Gal” and would probably turn your ears green. Also, THEY SOLD 8 X 10 GLOSSIES. I’m glad people are bringing those back. Maybe they never went anywhere?

Only caught the end of Lupe, whose last records I fucking love, and missed N.E.R.D….

Hot tip: shell out the money and get seats that directly face the stage.

(Photo via Kanye’s Blog)


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20 Comments

#1 The Playlist says:

Did Kanye just come from a Star Wars Tatooine convention?

#2 lost in the mountains says:

who is this kanye? this stuff looks kind of outclassed

#3 tc says:

Great review Joan!

#4 I CANNOT.... says:

WAIT TO SEE THIS!!!!
Dark Side of the Moon 2008!!!!

#5 Kidd says:

Just saw the show in Sacramento. Personaly, I think he left a lot to be desired. The stage was insane but he didn't use all of it! He never interacted with the crowd except a few obvious points. I really went to this show expecting to be blown away. While the stage and visuals were great, I don't think he took it to that next level. I think it would have been A LOT better if he had brought other people out on stage with him. The best live show is still Busta Rhymes!

#6 Steven Patrick Morrissey says:

busta rhymes is horrible live.

#7 Sunshine says:

My aren't we the optimistic when critiquing Rihanna? She was awful & you know it. No, not awful, more like horrendous! I kept looking around for someone to come save her from her dilemma. The dilemma being she's a singer who can't really sing, and an entertainer who can't really entertain. Well, unless you're a pre-pubescent pimply faced virgin. And to add insult to injury is the the fact that she's soooooooo boring. Let's be honest with our viewers shall we? Kanye made me cry, the visuals were awesome! N.E.R.D. & Lupe, they did ok, but I didn't really care. If I didn't love Kanye so much, braggadocio included, there's no way in the world I'd ever sit through such torture as the rest of that line-up could only provide. Yes, torture. It was torture.

#8 Kidd says:

If Busta is horrible live, then why does he continue to win awards for best live performance..... (check the last BET awards)

#9 thug master gstar 4 lyfe says:

thug life

#10 Kanye Sucks says:

Save your $ and skip this show. I attended the San Jose show and the only highlight of the night was Rihanna.

#11 T-Ro Price says:

I just saw the show in LA and i will say that the best part of this whole show is Lupe Fiasco...followed closely by N.E.R.D. Rihanna is hot but her stage performance aint all that. She sang well but she needs to step up her stage performance to another level. Also not quite the best bill for her to be playing, how you gonna throw a semi bubble gum pop star in between some of the finest hip hop acts Chicago/USA has to offer.

As far as Kanye is concerned i was greatly disappointed. Sure the stage was dope and the visuals were all right, but part of the time i felt like i was looking at a screensaver that comes stock on a new apple computer. I'm surprised he even shard the stage with Lupe fiasco to do 'touch the sky' but you wouldn't have known if you were staring at the giant monitors because the only face projected on there was Kanye's. To me a live show is an experience where you get to see the music being played and performed by the musicians and singers that create it. To put your entire band UNDERNEATH the stage is just ridiculous to me. Kanye needs to get over Kanye and pay some respect to the hundreds of musicians and crew members that help creat, perform and transport his act (not to mention his ego) from city to city. Major props to Lupe and NERD for rocking it out, even to Rihanna for doing what seems to be the best she could. Kanye, maybe you should let some one TELL YOU SOMETHINg and show people a little more of what they want and not what you want....which apparently is yourself.

#12 umm says:

busta rhymes is the best show live? do you know who daft punk are?

#13 Jordan Catalano says:

Wow, much of this commentary just bums me out. This tour is rather tremendous on many levels. And say what you will about Kanye, he managed to keep 99.9% of the LA crowd totally engaged all by himself onstage. Dude has got the songs and presence to do it. NERD was sick, Lupe was dope and yes, even Rihanna was good. If you like pop, she's kind of the pop star of the moment that's just the right collaborator(s) away from dethroning Gwen Stefani. And speaking of overrated!

#14 Ziger Woods says:

The review was right on...the concert was filthy but head on tickets would have made it that much better!

#15 haterzzz says:

yo kanyes ma homie g man

#16 Superstar says:

Saw Kanye in ATL, he was awesome. Show was great and he showed much respect to the crowd!

#17 KC says:

im seeing kanye on friday (glow in the dark tour..) and i was wondering about how long does the concert last? it starts at 6:30 and i trying to figure out an estimate time it will end..
help please

#18 Brooklyngirl says:

I saw the show and was personally blown away kanye used every ounce of energy and kept the crowd jumping the whole time and when he sang the song for his mother everyone felt sad with him--- i've seen many Rap artists in concert and for a fact most sound like shyt with 20 hype men in the back ---kanye truthfully is a great performer and i felt he gave it his all and connected in the crowd now rihanna ----she was just walking around singing no dancing---- i had to take a break and get me a beer she definitely needs some choreography lessons.

#19 Bronco Sar says:

BEST CONCERT IVE EVER BEEN TO! Kanye was amazing. He is an outstanding performer and the effects were unreal. Not to mention Lupe, N.E.R.D, and Rihanna were all awesome as well. I cant say enough good things!! All you haters are CRAZY!! This show was the best money ive spent in awhile!

#20 JANE says:

Just watched the Chicago show last night and it was off the hook. Maybe b/c Kanye's from the Chi city, he gave it his ALL. Best concert I've been to in my life and best performer by far. He was non-stop for an hour and a half and took a 2 minute break after going at it again for half an hour. There were moments he did not even have to rap b/c every person there knew the lyrics word for word. I went there to see Kanye and he left me so inspired. I cannot wait to see him again- hopefully with Common on stage, Common and Chris Brown came out for tonight's show. Lupe was the bomb...I love him and wished I could see more of him, but next time. Big ups to Kanye and Lupe- they gave mad love.


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